To the editor: As a long time racing advocate and participant, I fully support a single medication system. However, I do have concerns and questions regarding the approach now being undertaken by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Below are a few questions I would like you to clarify for me.
1. Since there is no federal funding for HISA, where is the operating capital since July 1 coming from since the states have not been providing funds?
2. Who is responsible for personnel decisions and compensation for HISA and is there any oversight as to the amount of compensation paid?
3. Pertaining to the addendum to the law passed by Congress, what groups or individuals were consulted as to the content of the proposal?
Thank you for any clarification you can provide me as well as your readers.
Gerald Bayens
Louisville, Ky.
Editor's Note: Mandy Minger, HISA's director of communications, provided answers to the questions from Gerald Bayens. The numbered answers below correspond to his questions.
- States and racetracks have been assessed the costs of HISA operations since July 1, 2022, when HISA's Racetrack Safety rules went into effect. States and racetracks have paid those assessments and those payments fund HISA.
- The HISA Board of Directors and CEO make those decisions. The HISA Board is a volunteer board made up of independent actors from both within and outside the industry and who abide by a stringent conflict of interest policy. HISA Board members are not compensated for their time.
- This was an Act of Congress – so who they consulted and discussed with is really a question for them.
The legislation was quite simple in that it directly addressed the Court of Appeals Judge's view stated in oral arguments: “Why not just say to [Congress,] this is easy, this was bipartisan, just put the modification power straight in, it'll be just like FINRA and the SEC, problem solved?” The amendment passed by Congress simply incorporates the modification provision of the SEC-FINRA statute into the HISA statute. (Editor's note: FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which regulates brokers-dealers in the financial markets, is the model upon which HISA is partly based.)
HISA, alongside other leaders in the industry who are committed to safety and integrity, did help Congress understand the issues at play and the importance of HISA. More detail on that process was shared by the NTRA's Tom Rooney recently.
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The post Letter To The Editor: Questions (And Answers) Concerning HISA appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
